Rail-joint.



W. SMITH.

RAIL JOINT.

APPLIOATION'IILED MAR. 12, 1914.

1,1 00;"500, Patented June 16, 1914.

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COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH C0. WASHINGTON, u. :4

WILLIAM SMITH, or DUQUESNE, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAIL-JOINT.

1,1oo,5oo.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented J 11113 16, 1914,

Application filed. March 12, 1914. Serial No. 824,128.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that LWVILLIAM SMITH, a citizen of the United States and resident of Duquesne, in the county of Allegheny and- State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Rail-Joints; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to rail joints, and has special reference to such joints for use with the rails forming the tracks of the ordinary railroads.

The object of my invention is to provide a cheap, simple and efficient form of a rail described and particularly pointed out in' the claims. I

To enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to construct and use my improved rail-joint, I will describe the same more fully, referring to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a side view of the joint portion of two abutting rails having my invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a top view of the same partly in section. Fig. 3 is a crosssection on the line 33 Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 4: is a crosssection on the line 14 Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 5 is a cross-section on the line 5 5 Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 6 is a side elevation showing another form of myimproved rail joint. Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken horizontally of the form in Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a detail view of the outer fish bar employed. Figs. 9 and 10 are detail views of the inner bars.

Like symbols of reference herein indicate like parts in each of the figures of the drawing.

As illustrated in the drawing 1 represents the abutting end portions of two ordinary T-rails which are secured to the ties in the usual manner and are provided with the heads 2, webs 3 and flanges 4. Extending along each side of the webs 3 and over the space or joint a between the ends of the rails 1 are the inner and outer angle or fish bars 5 and 6 respectively, which are adapted to fit under the heads 2 of such rails by their upper edges and the lower edges of the same are adapted to rest against the flanges 1. Within the outer bar 6 are the slots 7 which have at one end the narrowed portion 8, and extending out from the inner side of the inner bar 5 are the elongated lugs or projections 9 which are adapted to pass through slots 3 in the ail webs 3 and through the slots 7 and portions 8 therein. The projections 9 are provided with enlargements or heads 10 at their outer ends, which are formed by flange portions extending out from each side of said projections and such portions are inclined, as at 11, to engage with like inclined portions 12 on each side of the slot portions 8 to form a wedging action when the parts are in position, as hereinafter described. 7

The ends of the slots 7, S and 3 and ends of the projections 9 are preferably rounded or semi-circular, as at 13, and within one of the end slots Tis a nut 1 f which has a rounded or semi-circular side 14: for fitting against the similar shaped ends in said end slot. A bolt 15 having a fiat sided portion or head 16 at its outer end passes loosely through a wall 15 in the end of the bar 6, and is adapted to connect with the nut 14 by a threaded portion 17 on the inner end of the same engaging with a threaded hole 17 in the nut to lock the said bar in place by the inner end of said bolt engaging with the projection in said end slot. A block 18 fits by its ends between the head 2 and flange 1 of the rail 1, which block has a fiat sided slot 19 within the same corresponding to the head 16 on the bolt 15 to keep said bolt from turning, and such block can be held in position, if desired, by a cotter-pin 20 passing through a hole in the same and in the rail'web 3.

The use and operation of my improved rail joint is as follows :VVhen the rails 1 are in position as shown in Fig. 1, the inner bar 5 is placedin position on said rails so that the projections 9 can be passed through the slots 3' in the rail webs 3, and such slots are somewhat longer than said projections to provide for the expansion and contraction of said rails. After this is accomplished, the outer bar 6 is placed on the rails 1 by its slots 7 fitting over the projections 9, and is held in position by forcing the same along under pressure, such as by hammering the end of the same, so that the wedge portions 11 and 12 on said bar and projections, respectively, will engage with each other. After this is done the nut let can be placed in the end slot 7 and the bolt 15 passed through the end of the bar 6 to engage with the end of the projection 9 in said slot by its threaded end 17 passing through and engaging with said nut through its threaded hole 17, which will lock said bar in place. The block 18 can then be placed in position between the head 2 and flange 4 of the rail 1 with its slot 19 fitting around the bolt head 16, and such block held in place by the cotter-pin 20 passing through the same and rail web 3.

If desired, my improved rail joint can be formed as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, in which the projections 9 are provided with hook portions 9 at their outer ends, and on one side of the rail joint a between the rails 1, such projections are formed Z-shaped and on the other side they are formed U-shaped in order to enable the bar 6 used with the same to be inserted in position on account of the slots 3 in the rail webs being in the same position on both ends of the rails. The inner portions 9 on said projections fit within the web slots 3 but are slightly smaller than said slots in order to permit the expansion and contraction of the rails, and the outer or hook portions 9 have their inner faces inclined as at 11 in order to engage with the inclined portions 12 at the ends of the slots 7 in thebar 6 to form a wedging action when such bar is forced to place and held in position, which will do away with the slotted portions 8 at the ends of such slots 7.

Various other modifications and changes in the design and construction of my improved rail-joint may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention orsacrificing any of its advantages.

It will thus be seen that my improved railjoint can be easily and conveniently con structed and assembled with the rails held in position and when in position on the rails will firmly and rigidly hold the same in place, while at the same time the parts composing the joint can be easily and quickly removed without interference with the rails or spikes holding the same.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a rail-joint, the combination with the rails having slots within the webs of the same, of fish-bars or plates on each side of said rails, one of which is provided with slots therein, projections extending out from the other plate through both of said slots,

wedging means between said projections and first named plate, and nut and bolt means connected with said first named plate to lock the same in wedging engagement.

2. In a rail-joint, the combination with the rails having slots within the webs of the same, of fish-bars or plates on each side of said rails, one of which is provided with slots therein, projections extending out from the other plate through both of said slots, wedging means between said projections and first named plate, a nut within the end slot in said first named plate, and a bolt passing through said plate and nut and engaging with the projection in said slot to lock the plate in wedging engagement.

3. In a rail-joint, the combination with the rails having slots within the same, fishbars or plates on each side of said rails, one of which is provided with slots therein, project-ions extending out from the other plate through both of said slots, wedging means between said projections and first named plate, means connected with said first named plate to lock the same in wedging engagement, and means for preventing said last named means from turning.

4. In a rail-joint, the combination with the rails having slots within the webs of the same, of fish-bars 01' plates on each side of said rails, one of which is provided with slots therein, projections extending out from the other plate through both of said slots, wedging means between said projections and first named plate, a nut within the end slot in said first named plate, a bolt passing through said plate and nut and engaging with the projection in said slot to lock the plate in wedging engagement, and means for preventing said bolt from turning.

5. In a rail-joint, the combination with the rails having slots within the webs of the same, of fish-bars or plates on each side of said rails, one of which is provided with slots therein, projections extending out from the other plate through both of said slots, wedging means between said projections and first named plate, a nut within the end slot in said first named plate, a bolt passing through said plate and nut and engaging with the projection in said slot to lock the plate in wedging engagement, said bolt having a flat sided head at its outer end, and means engaging with said head to prevent said bolt from turning.

In testimony whereof, I the said IVILLIAM SMITH have hereunto set my hand.

WILLIAM SMITH.

IVitnesses T. B. HUMrrmIEs, J. N. CooKn.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Eatents. Washington, D. 0. 

